Web treating apparatus



March 5, 1940.

H. w. BRUKER WEB TREATING APPARATUS Filed June 18, 1938 INVENTOR BY M ATTORNEY? Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,192,432 WEB ranarme mm'rus Hobart W. Bruker, Bordentown, N. J., assignor to George W. Swift, Jr. Inc., Bordentown, N. .12, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 18, 1938, Serial No. 214,584

7 Claims.

Prior to the operation of corrugating a paper web by passing the same between corrugating rolls, it has been found advantageous to subject the web to the action of steam which moistens the web and also preheats it to a certain extent. The

present invention relates especially to a web treating apparatus which is constructed and arranged to serve the'above purposes,'but in its broader aspects it should be understood that the invention may also extend to other web treating operations, in so far as the conditions of operation, requirements and results are analogous, and within the scope permitted by the prior art.

Heretofore in steaming paper webs it has been customary to draw the web over stationary shoes or similar guiding surfaces havingisteam containing pockets or compartments therein, and in accordance with the present invention in its broader aspects, I provide a web treating apparatus for 20 the above purposes wherein the guiding surfaces with which the paper web contacts during the steaming operation travel at substantially the same speed as the web, thereby minimizing injury to the web which is likely to occur in the use of 5 prior apparatus, particularly under the exceedingly high speed operation frequently demanded, and during the operation of threading a new paper web into the corrugating machine. In its more specific aspects the invention also includes 30 certain features of construction which are advantageous in apparatus of the above character. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part specifically referred to in the description hereinafter contained 35 which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, discloses certain specific constructions oi web, treating apparatus operable in accordance with the invention; the disclosure however should be regarded as merely illustrative of 40 the principles of the invention in its broader aspects. In the drawing Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view showing one form of apparatus constructed to operate in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with certain parts in section, showing the main operating parts of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrative of one way in which apparatus as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be used in conjunction with corrugating rolls.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views respectively similar to Figs. 1 and 2 but showing the web treating apparatus somewhat modified in construction. 4

55 In accordance with the present invention rosubstantially seals the compartments and exposes the web to the action of the steam.

In the embodiment of the invention shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the rotary members i which in part partition off or define the compartments above referred to, take the form of rotatable rings which are coax'ially mounted. and appropriately spaced apart so as to afford room between them for a series of steam receiving compartments 2, the rings l having circular peripheral portions 3 which are engageable with the travellng paper web t. The peripheral portions 3 of rings I afford adequate support for the paper web being treated, and in this form of invention the rings l are not positively driven, but are caused to rotate by frictional contact with the web at substantially the same surface speed. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the rings l are rotatably supported by stationary anti-friction bearing members 5 which latter are carried by a stationary supporting member 6 extending centrally through the members I, the bearing members 5 and the supporting member 6 also serving in part to define the walls of compartments 3.

There are also interposed between the ring-like partition members I above mentioned, opposed stationary wall members 1 and 8 which cooperate in defining the compartments 3 and confine the compartments to the peripheral portions of members I which are engaged by web I. In the present instance the wall members 1 and 8 are constituted bythe opposite end portions of a strip 9 of spring metal (Fig. 1) which may be sprung around central support 6 and suitably amxed thereto, as by bolts Ill.

The central support 6 may-also be made hollow as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, toact as a steam supply conduit for compartments 2, steam being obtained from a suitable supply pipe II. From the interior of supporting member 6 the steam may be fed to the several compartments 2 through suitable cocks or valves l2. The supply of steam to individual compartments may thus be shut ofi when a paper web so narrow in width is being against angular movement by arms 3|, the outer ends of which are bolted at 32 to the supply conment of the invention the peripheral portions 3 of members I afiord'well distributed support for the web I as it travels past the compartments 2.

The web substantially seals the open outer ends of the compartments, and at the same time its inner surface is suificiently exposed to the action of the steam. Since the surface speed ofthe members I will be substantially equal to that of the web, undue frictional eflects or strains upon the web under treatment are avoided.

Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically a corrugating machine construction wherein a web treating apparatus as above described is supported by uprights l3 extending up from the side frames ll of the machine, the paper web being fed over a guideroll l5 carried by an arm l8 into arcuate contact with the rotary members I so asto pass over the compartments 2 of the web treating apparatus which appears at the left of Fig. 3,thus causing the underside of the'web to be treated as above described. The web 4 may then be lead past a second web treating apparatus of similar construction, which is locatedabove the web as indicated inthe central portion of Fig. 3, so as to treat the opposite face of web 4, after which the web passes. to the corrugating rolls l1 and I8 indicated diagrammatically at the right of Fig. 3. Preferably the compartments 2 of one apparatus are staggered crosswise of the machine with respect to those of the other apparatus, to promote V uniformity of treatment.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown 'a web treating apparatus somewhat modified in construction, wherein the rotary members l9 having peripheries with which the web engages as above described, are in the form of disk-like members fixed to a central supporting member 2| which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 22 and which may be positively rotated as by gear 23 shown at the left of Fig. 5, at such rate that the surfacespeed of the peripheries 20 is substantially equal to therate of travel of web l. In this form of the invention the compartments 2 (which are similar in mode of operation to the compartments 2 previously described) are defined by the members l9 above described in conjunction with opposed stationary wall members 25 and 26, these wall, members being carried by a stationary supporting member 21 surrounding the central supporting member 2| above de-' scribed. As shown-in Fig. 4 steam may be fed from a supply conduit 28. through individualvalves 29 and pipes 30 to the various compartments 2i. The supports 2'! may be braced duit 23.

In this form of the invention the rotary mem bers 20 if positively driven will assist in the forward feed of the paper web, the mode of operation being otherwise generally similar to that above described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

.While theinvention has been disclosed as car ried out by apparatus of certain specific construction, it should be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the invention in-its-broader aspects, within Y the scope of the appended claims. I claim: I

1. A web treating apparatus including a plurality of partition members having web engaging p ripheries of substantially circular contour. said partition members being mounted coaxially in spaced relation and being also-mounted for rotation about their common axis, and stationary wall members interposed between said partition members, said rotary partition members and stationary wall members being constructed and arranged to define a compartment adapted to receive steam or the like, which compartment extends partway web contacting therewith, said rotary members defining in part a compartment for steam or the like which is interposed between said members, and stationary wall members interposed between said rotary members, said stationary members' also in part defining the aforesaid compartment, and said compartment opening into the space between the aforesaid peripheral portions of the rotary members.

3. A web treating apparatus including a series -of rotary partition members having web engaging peripheries of substantial circular contour, said partition members being mounted coaxially in spaced relation, a series of axially extending stacent rotary partition members, said rotary partition members and stationary wall members being constructed and arranged to define compartments adapted to receive steam or the like" between adjacent rotary partition members,

tionary wall members interposed between adjawhich compartments extend part way around the peripheries of said rotatable partition members and open outwardly between the web engaging peripheral portions of said rotary partition members. v

4. A web treating apparatus including a series compartments. extend part way around the peripheries of said rotatable partition members and open outwardly between the web engagingperipheral'portions of said rotary partition members, said apparatus including -a central station ary supporting member enclosed by said rotary partition members said stationary wall members being carried by said central supporting member. 5. A web treating'appa'ratus including a series of rotary partitien members having web engaging of rotary partition members having web engaging peripheries of substantially circular contour, said partition members being mounted coaxially in spaced relation, a series of axially extending stationary wall members interposed between ailiacent rotarypartition members,- said rotary partition members and stationary wall members being constructed and arranged to define compartments adapted to receive steam or the like betweenadjacent rotary partition members,

which compartments extend part way around the'peripheries of said rotatable partition members and open outwardly between the'web engaging peripheral portions ofsaid rotary partour, said partition members being mounted coaxially in spaced relation, a series of axially extending stationary wall members interposed between adjacent rotary partition members, said rotary partition members and stationary wall members being constructed and arranged to define compartments adapted to receive steam or the like between adjacent rotary partition members, which compartments extend part way around the peripheries of said rotatable partition members and open outwardly between the web engaging peripheral portions of said rotary partition members, said apparatus including a; central rotary supporting member carrying said rotary partition members, and stationary supports for said wall members which extend between said rotary partition members.

7. A web steaming apparatus including a plurality of rotatable circular members having web engaging peripheri said members being mounted in spaced rel tion, and stationary wall members interposed between said circular members, said wall members constituting walls of arcuate compartments interposed between adjacent circular members and opening into the peripheral space between said circular members, and means for supplying steam to said compartments.

HOBART W. BRUKER. 20 

